Holes in powder horn

[Crown_Pointer]

The little buggers (carpet beetles?) ate holes in one of my older horns when it was packed away and empty. I patched the holes with epoxy, both JB Weld and the Harbor Freight variety. After the "globs" of epoxy dried I had intended to sand them down even with the surface of the horn. I did a little but had a change of plans. The nobs leave me with a "non-slip grip". I like it, it has character plus it's a one- of-a-kind pattern.

My horns are fine but then I never heard of this. I looked up Carpet Beetles and it seems they like the keratin in the horn. Ya learn something every day.

About the Carpet Beetle and how to deal with it (incl PDF to download).
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef601

 

[TexiKan]

I thought I would not encounter this issue with a horn that is used at least once a month but at some point, I noticed a couple of bug bites. That horn is always filled with powder. I won a horn at a shoot and it, too, developed bites and it was empty. I waxed both and I placed some ceder near them, just in case. So far no further damage. Repairing them would be good but I am unsure on what would look the best.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hang in open, Cabinet stored horns get eaten.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I've never had this happen and never heard of it before, but I can see it happening I suppose. I keep my horns on a shelf and handle them almost daily. Never seen any carpet beetles around, but then I have a couple of house cats. I've seem them catch and eat anything from flies to various kinds of wasps/hornets. I don't imagine carpet beetles would fare very well against an apex predator in that weight class.

In Wisconsin, because of winter, we are spared many pests common in other areas... the mosquitoes make up for it in the Summer though.

Maybe it's a bit obvious, but could you store your horn(s) in a bug-proof plastic box or something? Even a tightly fitted wooden box should work.

 

[Eutycus]

Thank you Crown_Pointer for that link. I read that carpet beetles like other horns (as in antlers)too. So check you taxidermy mounts as well.

 

[Crown_Pointer]

Thank you Crown_Pointer for that link. I read that carpet beetles like other horns (as in antlers)too. So check you taxidermy mounts as well.

I notice the freezer was offered as a way to kill them off. Better get clearance on that though ;-D

 

[senseisugarbear]

If I make any more horns , you can bet I'll whittle the plugs out of CEDAR.....Be Safe >>>>>>>>>>Wally

 

[1971fx]

Original Brown Bess

 

[Absoroka]

I had some raw horns stored in a box in my garage. A mouse had a litter and one? of the babies got in the box and damaged two of the horns. Mice will chew through anything. Never had a problem with horns hanging in the house, empty or full.

 

[R Ellis]

I was gifted some horns from a friend that had some damage but not holes more like tunnels so I filled the spots with clear epoxy and sanded it smooth and it blends in very well also coated the entire horn with Tru Oil